1. Field
The present disclosure relates to a balance training device and a balance training method, and in particular, to a technique for training an occupant's sense of balance using an inverted two-wheel vehicle that moves while maintaining an inverted state according to a change in an occupant's posture.
2. Description of Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication No. 2011-31669 discloses a training system for an occupant riding on a coaxial two-wheel vehicle (an inverted two-wheel vehicle) to efficiently train occupant's physical function and balance function. This training system includes a coaxial two-wheel vehicle that travels while maintaining its inverted state according to a shift in an occupant's center of gravity. The coaxial two-wheel vehicle performs predetermined operations in back and forth and side to side directions in a fixed or random cycle. The occupant performs a travelling operation that moves his/her center of gravity back and forth or side to side according to the predetermined operations so that the coaxial two-wheel vehicle moves within a certain range. This improves the occupant's physical function, balance function, and the like in an enjoyable manner.
However, if there is a direction the occupant is not good at shifting his/her center of gravity in so as to restrict the inverted two-wheel vehicle's movement within a particular range, a position of the inverted two-wheel vehicle cannot be sufficiently returned to the direction in which the occupant is not good at shifting his/her center of gravity. That is, a direction opposite to the direction in which the occupant is not good at shifting the center of gravity is a challenge for the occupant to shift his/her center of gravity and is a direction in which the occupant finds it difficult to shift the center of gravity when the inverted two-wheel vehicle is forcibly moved in the direction. The present inventor has found a problem that the inverted two-wheel vehicle gradually moves in the direction the occupant is not good at shifting his/her center of gravity in, thus making it difficult to continue the training within the particular range of movement.